{"id":60963,"date":"2026-09-02T16:38:45","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T20:38:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/why-this-welsh-seaside-towns-castle-beach-was-the-uks-best-beach-in-2019\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T16:38:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T20:38:45","slug":"why-this-welsh-seaside-towns-castle-beach-was-the-uks-best-beach-in-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.journee-mondiale.com\/en\/why-this-welsh-seaside-towns-castle-beach-was-the-uks-best-beach-in-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Why this Welsh seaside town\u2019s Castle Beach was the UK\u2019s best beach in 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Castle Beach<\/strong> gave Tenby a rare kind of proof in 2019, when the Sunday Times rated it the best beach in the UK. That honor makes sense once you arrive: the sand sits beside a compact old town, so you can trade a beach walk for historic lanes without planning your whole day around either.<\/p>\n

Tenby<\/strong> is on Carmarthen Bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales, about 9.9 miles<\/strong> east of Pembroke. It is a major holiday destination, and summer weekends can feel busy. But that density is also why the town feels easy for a short coastal break, with beaches, caf\u00e9s, shops, and the harbor all close together.<\/p>\n

Why Castle Beach won in 2019<\/h2>\n

The 2019 ranking matters because Castle Beach is not an isolated strip of sand that requires a long drive and a packed cooler. It is part of the old town experience. And you can move from the beach toward Castle Hill and the harbor in minutes, with sea air following you into the streets.<\/p>\n

The town has 5 kilometres of sandy beaches<\/strong>, which gives you choices when Castle Beach feels too close to the center. North Beach faces the town and includes Goscar Rock. South Beach stretches farther and looks toward Caldey Island.<\/p>\n

But Castle and Harbour beaches are the convenient picks when you want sand without leaving Tenby behind.<\/p>\n

That is the appeal here. You get a beach day with an actual town attached, not a resort compound or a lonely parking lot. And the harbor\u2019s small scale keeps the setting intimate, even when the center is lively.<\/p>\n

It is touristy in peak periods, but never feels built solely for tourists.<\/p>\n

The old town makes the beach feel larger<\/h2>\n

Five Arches Gate<\/strong> is part of the surviving medieval walls, and it gives a walk through Tenby a welcome sense of arrival. The walls date to the 13th century<\/strong>. But this is not a museum-piece town where everything shuts down behind a rope.<\/p>\n

You can follow narrow streets past colorful Georgian and Victorian fa\u00e7ades, then reach the water before your coffee cools. I think that proximity is Tenby\u2019s real advantage. And if you are traveling with someone who wants history while you want a shoreline walk, neither of you has to compromise much.<\/p>\n

St Mary\u2019s Church<\/strong> dates to the 15th century<\/strong>, while the National Trust\u2019s Tudor Merchant\u2019s House adds another stop close to the center. The scale is manageable. But wear shoes that can handle both sand and pavement, because the best part of Tenby is drifting between the two.<\/p>\n

North Beach or South Beach?<\/h2>\n

Start at Castle Hill and the harbor, then take the promenade along North Beach for the classic town-facing view. North Beach has Goscar Rock and harbor views, so it is the better choice if you want Tenby\u2019s buildings in the frame. And you will understand quickly why the town photographs so well.<\/p>\n

South Beach<\/strong> is the stronger pick when you want a longer walk. It looks toward Caldey Island, and the extra length makes it feel less tied to the old town. But the trade-off is simple: you give up some of that close-in harbor character.<\/p>\n

Can you take a boat to Caldey Island?<\/h3>\n

Yes. Boats sail from Tenby\u2019s harbor to offshore monastic Caldey Island, with trips operating in season. And that seasonal limitation is worth respecting when you plan.<\/p>\n

If the boat is not running, South Beach still gives you the island view, with salt wind and the steady scrape of shoes over firm sand.<\/p>\n

St Catherine\u2019s Island is another harbor-side sight, though it is tidal and holds a 19th-century Palmerston Fort<\/strong>. But do not build a day around it without checking conditions locally. Tenby rewards loose plans, especially when the tide and weather are calling the shots.<\/p>\n

Getting there without making it complicated<\/h2>\n

Tenby railway station is operating, with Transport for Wales Rail services toward Pembroke and toward Whitland, Carmarthen, and Swansea. In peak season, Saturday trains run direct from Paddington to Tenby. And rail is a sensible choice if you would rather avoid seasonal parking demand.<\/p>\n

Seasonal park-and-ride services operate because summer visitors fill the town. But once you are there, leave the car alone if you can. The center is walkable, and the best sequence is harbor, beach, old town, then another beach when the light starts to soften.<\/p>\n

By the time day visitors leave, the harbor quiets down. The last sounds are gulls, water against the boats, and sand still clinging to your shoes.<\/p>\n


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